Water crisis in West: It wasn’t always this hot, dry, study says
Cities scorching in 110 degree heat for days as water reserves dry up — that’s life in the West now. But new research confirms the region hasn’t always seen this devilish combination of extreme heat and blistering drought. Scientists have reviewed 500 years of data to determine that the past 100 years have been both abnormally hot and dry — giving them new confidence that the droughts and record heat waves plaguing the region are fueled by climate change. There’s a term for what’s going on: A “hot drought.” That means they now believe the region has been hit with heat and drought “unprecedented in frequency and severity” when compared to the past 500 years.